How Top High School Graduates Prepare for College
This is your last summer before college. While some high school graduates take it easy, top high school graduates aim higher. They choose to use their summer break wisely.
How can you prepare and get slightly ahead before college? Don’t waste your summer! Instead, use this in-between time to accomplish these 6 tasks!
6 Tasks Top High School Graduates Complete Before College Starts
1. Prepare for placement tests.
When you took your ACTs or SATs, you received scores in different categories. If you received a high enough score in a subject area, you are eligible to opt out of introductory level courses. Additionally, if you do not score high enough in certain subject areas, you may be required to take some remedial level classes.
Some colleges also require placement tests before you can take some courses. According to The College Board, “colleges use placement tests to check the academic skill levels of entering students.” These tests will indicate what level you are prepared for in subjects like English and math.
If you’ve declared a major, you may be required to take major specific placement tests. For example, as a music major, I was required to take a music theory placement test. If my score was not high enough, I would’ve had to take a remedial music theory class. If I had scored exceptionally high, I may have been allowed to skip the first semester of this course.
Not every college provides remedial courses for students. Some colleges require you take these courses by correspondence, while others provide these courses on campus. In either case, you cannot take the entry-level college course until you complete this remedial course.
So how can you prepare? Start by checking which ones you will need to take with your academic advisor. Then, ask which areas will be covered on this test. Most placement tests assess your general knowledge, which can make them difficult to prepare for. However, you can take practice tests and review some material to prepare. In addition, using these test-taking techniques can help you with tricky questions.
Lastly, schedule the test and take it. Some colleges have you take these tests during summer orientation but you may have the option of waiting until you arrive at the beginning of the school year. Be sure you know the location and the time of this test the day before the test. Arriving early cannot hurt you.
2. Contact a future roommate.
Your college will likely email you about your roommate before the school year begins. While this person can possibly change before school starts, you should contact him or her through social media or email if possible.
First impressions are important, especially with a college roommate. Keep an open mind, because his or her photos on Instagram may not accurately depict who he or she is. Keep in mind that your roommate is likely figuring out who you are from your social media too.
When sending that initial message to introduce yourself to your new roommate, keep it simple and to the point. Sending a long and detailed first email or message may make you look needy, so try to cover only the basics. An example opening email might look like this:
Hey _________! My name is ________________ and it looks like I will be your roommate this upcoming school year at _______. I want to start getting to know you before arriving, so I have a few questions for you I’ll send later on. Looking forward to getting to know you!
This email isn’t a perfect template. However, it gives you a general idea of what you should include in that first email. In my personal opinion, I would wait until later to send all of your questions. You don’t want to overwhelm your new roommate with too much information.
About a week later, I would send a follow-up email or message, even if your future roommate did not reply. In this second message, you can share a little bit more about yourself, ask a few personal questions, and include questions about shared dorm room items. This email could look something like this:
Hey ________! I just wanted to follow-up on my last email. {Insert some kind comment about the reply or lack of a reply.} This next school year is my freshman year, and I will be studying _______________. What year are you? What is your major?
I wanted to ask a few questions about things we could possibly share at college. Do you already have a dorm fridge, a trash can, or a curtain? If you do, would you mind if we share them? I want to make sure I’m not crowding up our dorm room with extra stuff.
This email is slightly longer but still stays to the point. Communicating early and often is the key to preventing conflict with your roommate later. Start your roommate relationship off on the right foot by introducing yourself before arriving on campus.
3. Plan your first year of college courses.
This task may sound a little bit overkill, but now is not too early to begin thinking ahead about your college career. Your plans may change next semester, but looking at your future options will help you know what you need to accomplish during your first year.
During summer orientation, you likely looked at your first semester courses or maybe even registered for them. Most colleges give you a drop/add period in which you can swap courses at the beginning of the semester. While the school may charge you a small fee to drop and add a course, know that you do have this option.
Look at your major’s requirements. Some classes may be electives, like a speech course. These classes are probably required for every major. Other classes will be required only for your major. You probably have the option to take some courses ahead of the scheduled time in the course catalogue.
Before registering for electives, be sure that you can fit in your major classes. If you switch classes around too much, you could end up putting yourself in a situation in which you will have to stay an extra semester or take an online course during a summer break.
Having a clear picture of at least the first year of your college courses will help you clarify your requirements for the next school year. Get this clear picture the path ahead by thinking through your schedule for the next school year. You will be thankful you didn’t wait until arriving at college to start planning.
4. Search for textbooks.
Finding textbooks is generally a pain. Not only are they incredibly expensive, but sometimes teachers can also update editions to more expensive ones. While I’m not encouraging mutiny, I do know firsthand how frustrating this process can be.
You might be thinking: “do I even need these textbooks?” You likely have read some articles or talked to some college upperclassmen who rarely purchase their textbooks. Sometimes you can survive in a class without the textbook, but your freshman year is not the year to try this. Do get textbooks for your first semester, and don’t wait until arriving on campus to start looking.
You might also be thinking: “do I need to own my textbooks?” Generally, you do not need to own your college textbooks. Especially during your first year, there are likely many copies of your college textbooks. Some campuses will have websites dedicated to selling or renting used college textbooks. Check there or on Amazon before looking elsewhere. Renting is usually your best and cheapest option.
Some classes include workbooks or course notes as required materials. In these situations, you should purchase these items. You will likely be lost without these books. Some classes also have textbooks that are critical to your future, and you should purchase these books.
For example, a nursing major is required to take courses like anatomy & physiology or pharmacology. These course textbooks are probably better to purchase than to rent, because you will use them over and over again in future courses and in clinicals. Renting them each semester will be more of a hassle than a help.
Keep in mind that purchasing a textbook doesn’t mean you always need to purchase a new copy. As long as the edition is correct, purchasing a used copy is perfectly acceptable for regular textbooks (not workbooks). Waiting until you arrive on campus to start this hunt probably will mean only the worst copies will be left, so start this process as soon as you know what courses you are taking.
5. Look into clubs and extracurriculars.
When I first arrived on campus, I did something I regret. I stayed to myself and played it safe. I didn’t do things that pushed me out of my comfort zone. I wish I had behaved differently.
While sororities can sometimes have a bad reputation, not all clubs and extracurriculars are a waste of time. In fact, joining a club on campus can help you find “your people” more quickly. Whether you realize it or not, the first few months of college will probably be more lonely than you expect. Prepare for the adjustment to college life by researching clubs and other extracurricular activities on campus.
Adjusting to a new place starts with finding people with which you can connect. So if you are athletic, search for pick-up teams that play on the weekends. If you are musical, look for a choir for which you can audition. If you are trying to learn a new language, look for a language group you can join. You will be surprised how having one thing in common can help you make friends at college.
Your academic advisor may be able to direct you to a department or connect you with a resource to get you started. However, dorm staff members are probably your better resources. Don’t feel too shy to ask them before arriving in the fall. They are happy to help you adjust to college life.
6. Apply for jobs.
You may or may not be considering working during your first school year. Your first semester will include many adjustments, so some parents encourage their new freshmen not to work. However, some students must work if they want to go to college.
If you decide to work during your first semester, do not wait until August to apply. Now is the time to apply to jobs in your college town or on your campus. In my article “What to Do When You Can’t Afford College Second Semester,” I share practical advice about your work options while at college like these:
Whether or not you work depends much on your ability to get or use transportation. If you do not have your own vehicle, you will need to consider your alternatives: walking, carpooling, getting an Uber or Lyft ride, or taking public transportation. If none of these options work for you, you know that you then can only apply for jobs on campus.
Students typically get paid less than minimum wage when working on campus. However, they typically do not have to pay for transportation, which saves money. Most colleges post student positions on their websites.
Read this post to learn more about applying for school year jobs.
The school year is quickly approaching. What can you do to be well prepared? Complete these 6 tasks before arriving on campus, so that your first year of college can be the best experience possible.
